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Brad point vs spade bit

Updated: 2026-10-23

You are looking at a small brad set and a flat-bit set, and both packets say wood. Brad point vs spade bit is not a brand contest. A brad point is the cleaner hole, usually up to about 10 mm in this comparison. A spade bit is the faster hole from about 16 mm to 32 mm, with a rougher exit. They overlap at 6 mm and 10 mm, and that overlap is where people buy the wrong one. The [wood drill bit comparison](/hub/drilling-and-accessories/wood-drill-bit) names the listings. This page is only the choice. Products Compared has not run a lab cut, and a qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

You are looking at a small brad set and a flat-bit set, and both packets say wood. Brad point vs spade bit is not a brand contest. A brad point is the cleaner hole, usually up to about 10 mm in this comparison.

Our top picks

SHALL SHALL 8-piece spade bit set

Best overall

SHALL SHALL 8-piece spade bit set
8.1/10about £10.99
View offer
Bosch Bosch PRO 7-piece brad point set

Best value

Bosch Bosch PRO 7-piece brad point set
8.0/10about £6.12
View offer
WORKPRO WORKPRO 8-piece spade bit set

Alternative

WORKPRO WORKPRO 8-piece spade bit set
7.9/10about £13.99
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.What each tip is for
  2. 2.Where the sizes in this comparison actually sit
  3. 3.Two things a spade bit will not do
  4. 4.Which to buy if you can only add one

What each tip is for

A brad point has a centre point and two spurs. The spurs score the rim before the lips lift the chip, so Wonkee Donkee calls it the neater bit for a dowel or a bolt hole you will see. A 3 mm bit snaps if you cock the drill. That is a thin shank, not a reason to switch to a paddle. A spade bit is a centre spike and two flat cutters. It is faster on a larger hole, and it tears the exit unless a waste board supports the fibres. The spike has to be seated, and at breakthrough a large spade grabs. In hardwood, expect to clean the edge. An auger or a Forstner bit is a different job, on the buying guide.

Where the sizes in this comparison actually sit

The PRO components line is 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 10 mm. The Mini-X-Line title, bullets and pieces field do not agree. There is no 32 mm brad point here, so a 25 mm cable hole is outside every brad set. The 24-piece and 36-piece packs are only 3, 4 and 5 mm. SHALL, WORKPRO and Aoyfuwell each list 6, 10, 13, 16, 19, 22, 25 and 32 mm on a 1/4 inch hex, at 150 mm or 152 mm where a length is printed. SHALL's surface field says wood. WORKPRO's bullets name hardwood. Do not treat SHALL as an oak bit because another brand said hardwood. At 6 mm and 10 mm, take the brad point for a dowel you will see and the spade for a hole behind a socket.
SHALL SHALL 8-piece spade bit set

Testsieger

SHALL SHALL 8-piece spade bit set
8.1/10about £10.99
View offer

Two things a spade bit will not do

A spade bit will not enlarge a hole you have already drilled. The centre spike needs timber in the middle. In an open hole the paddle tears an oval. Drill the large hole in solid timber, or use a cutter guided by the rim. Hex does not make the bit safe in an impact driver. Armeg says its flat bits are rotary only. One UK review of the SHALL set describes an impact driver, and the listing does not say impact-rated. The only bullets here that mention impact drivers are on a 16 mm auger.

Which to buy if you can only add one

If the holes are dowels, pilots or bolts up to 10 mm on a face you will see, buy a brad set whose components list those diameters. Here that is the Bosch PRO line of 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 10 mm, not a 24-piece box of 3, 4 and 5 mm. You give up every hole above 10 mm. If the holes are about 16–32 mm and a rough exit is acceptable, buy a spade set and plan on a waste board. If you need both this month, they are not substitutes. Wonkee Donkee says spade bits are messier in oak. WORKPRO's bullets name hardwood. SHALL's wood-only field is not that claim. Slow down when the rim browns. A Forstner bit is a third tool for a flat bottom, such as a 35 mm hinge cup, not a tie-break between these two.

Common questions

Which is cleaner?
The brad point, when the diameter is one it actually comes in. The spurs score the rim before the centre cuts. A spade bit is faster and tears the exit unless a backer board supports the fibres. At 6 mm or 10 mm, where both exist, the brad point is the one for a face you will see.
Which reaches 25 or 32 mm?
The spade sets in this comparison. Their lists run 6, 10, 13, 16, 19, 22, 25 and 32 mm. The brad sets stop at 10 mm, and two of the brad packs stop at 5 mm. A brad point will not drill a 32 mm cable hole no matter how sharp it is.
Can I widen a hole with the spade bit?
No. The centre spike has to sit in solid timber. In a hole that is already open it rattles and tears. Drill the large diameter while the wood is still whole, or use a rim-guided cutter. A pilot that is almost the size of the spike is a different case from a wide empty hole.
Is the hex shank safe in an impact driver?
Not because it is hex. Armeg says its flat bits are rotary only, in a three-jaw chuck. One SHALL review mentions an impact driver, and the SHALL listing does not claim that rating. Only read an impact line where the listing prints it. Here, that sentence is on an auger, not on the spade sets.
Which is better in oak?
The brad point, if the hole is within about 10 mm and the edge matters. Spade bits cut oak and leave a rougher exit. WORKPRO's bullets name hardwood. SHALL's surface field says wood only, so do not treat that set as an oak specialist. Slow the drill if the rim scorches.
Do I need both?
Yes, if this month includes an 8 mm dowel and a 25 mm cable hole. No, if every hole you drill is under 10 mm on a show face. In that case one brad set that lists 6, 8 and 10 mm beats both a spade set and a box of only 3, 4 and 5 mm bits.

Related pages

Best wood drill bit set

How to drill a clean hole in wood

Wood drill bit

Best wood drill bits UK: match the tip to the hole

Drilling holes in joists UK: the solid-timber zone

Sources

Public UK sources from the research digest, last checked on 22 October 2026. Shelf prices and star lines are the amazon.co.uk figures on the listings.

  1. HSE: wood dust (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  2. HSE: PUWER overview (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  3. HSE: WD0, wood dust (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  4. HSE: cutting and sanding wood (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  5. LABC: notches and holes in solid timber joists (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  6. NHBC Standards 2024, section 6.4.18 (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  7. GOV.UK: General Product Safety Regulations 2005 (retrieved 22 October 2026)
  8. BSI: BS 328-1:1986 twist drills (retrieved 22 October 2026)